Compressible container



6, 1968 s. STAHMER COMPRESSIBLE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 9. 1963 INVENTOR.

1968 B. STAHMER COMPRESSIBLE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9. 1963 FIG? M m m m United States Patent O 3,395,836 COMPRESSIBLE CONTAINER Bernhardt Stahmer, 1509 Chicago St., Omaha, Nebr. 68102 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 40,296,

July 1, 1960. Ihis application May 9, 1963, Ser.

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-215) This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 40,296, filed July 1, 1960 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to containers formed of resilient compressible material, the containers having one end which cannot be flattened for exuding the contents because of the necessity for its being cylindrical to support threads for connection to a device as, for example, a spout. And it is an object of this invention to provide the other end of the container with a particular shape so as to facilitate squeezing the contents out of the container for various purposes.

A particular object is to provide such other end of a container with a deep accordion fold extending inwardly, not only from the sides of the container, but also from the opposite end thereof.

The collapsing of tubes has been accomplished heretofore by making the tubes of non-resilient malleable metal such as tooth paste tubes. Tubes for ketchup and mustard have had fiat ends opposite the spout which defeat substantial compression at such ends. Children as well as adults find that their fingers are not strong enough to compress the last parts of ketchup or mustard from such tubes. This is because the bottom ends, like the rest of such tubes, are formed of resilient material of substantial strength. It is this strength that defeats compressibility because of the shape of the lower end of such container tubes. The dilemma is posed by the fact that the strength is a necessary part of such containers because it is precisely because of this strength that they are adapted to regain their shape after squeezing.

It is necessary in plastic production of a container from one piece that the bottom wall be of the same thickness as the side walls. If this were not necessary, then theoretically, a rather weak, thin and compressible bottom Wall would answer the dilemma.

If such tubes were made weak enough so they could not automatically regain their shape after squeezing, then they would have limited use; just as a tooth paste tube, if used as a ketchup or mustard container would have limited value.

Although various accordion folds have been placed in cardboard containers heretofore, the concept of using such features in resilient, form-regaining plastic containers has not been heretofore conceived. A further object is to provide a container, as described, which can be formed of a single integral piece adapted to low cost plastic mass production as distinguished from multiple piece fabrication from cardboard or plastic.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an improved compressible dispenser showing a groove through the 3,395,836 Patented Aug. 6, 1968 closed end and showing sides thereof in compressed positions in broken lines.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the dispenser with the cap and spout removed and with the lower portion broken away to the center line of the dispenser.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the dispenser, in which the dispenser is shown on a reduced scale.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section through the lower end of the dispenser, the upper portion being broken away, and the section being taken on a plane normal to the section shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a cross section through the dispenser taken on line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a cross section through the lower part of the dispenser taken on line 66 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of a dispenser illustrating a modification wherein the dispenser is pro vided with a concave bottom to facilitate collapsing.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical section through the dispenser shown in FIGURE 7, showing the dispenser in a compressed position in broken lines.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the dispenser shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, the dispenser being shown on a reduced scale.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout, and in which the numeral 10 refers to the invention in its entirety, numeral 12 indicating a cylindrical body having a cap 14 with a spout 16 extended therefrom, and having a transversely disposed groove 18 positioned in the closed end and merging into triangular-shaped grooves 20 and 22 in the cylindrical wall of the tube or body.

Although the body 12 is preferably cylindrical, it will be understood that it may be of any suitable shape in cross section. The groove 18 extends inwardly from points 24 and 26 to the point 28, and the grooves 20 and 22, which also extend from the points 24 and 26 extend upwardly to points 30.

The upper end of the dispenser is provided with a threaded nipple 32 on which the cap 14 is threaded. The spout 16, which is conical-shaped, extends from the end surface of the cap, and the spout is provided with perforations 34.

In the design illustrated in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, a plastic container 36 is provided with a concave bottom 38, and the upper end is provided with a threaded nipple 40 on which a cap 42 having a conical-shaped spout 44 is threaded. A gasket 46 is provided between the edge of the cap and a shoulder 48 on the upper end of the container. The concave bottom 38 permits the lower end of the container to be squeezed inwardly, as indicated by the broken lines 50, so that material in the container may be forced outwardly through an orifice 52 in the vertex or tip of the spout 44.

With the straight conventional bottom of containers for dispensing condiments and the like it is substantially impossible to collapse the large ends of the containers in dispensing materials therefrom, whereas with the bottoms provided with grooves, such as the groove 18, or concave surfaces, such as the surface 38, the bottoms can be readily squeezed or collapsed as illustrated by the broken lines in FIGURES 1 and 8.

The containers are made of a pliable plastic or other suitable material, whereby they are resilient and tend to completely regain their shape after the squeezing pressure is released and each container is of a onewpiece construction permitting low cost mass manufacture.

It will be seen that substantially all parts of the container are of the same thickness, in other words, the side walls of the body 12 are of the same thickness as those parts thereof which form the accordion fold, the latter being the wall portions at the grooves 18, 20, and 22.

It will be further seen that the resiliency and strength of the body 12 is such that it will automatically regain its shape after being compressed so long as air is permitted to enter through the spout 16.

The body portions of the containers of FIGURES l and 7 each have substantially all parts of of the same thickness whether side wall or bottom areas are considered, the only exception being the threads at which there is greater thickness. The material of both containers is the same.

The distance the concave surface 38 extends inwardly of the container is exceeding approximately one-third of the diameter of the base thereof.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a compressible container constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also L be obvious that my invention can be changed and modified without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination: a spout having a larger threaded inner end and a smaller outer end and an elongated hollow compressible container-dispenser having an externally threaded open neck at one end receiving said spout and the remainder of said container being closed, said threaded neck presenting a much more substantial resistance to the compression of said container than the sides of the container, means for facilitating compression to make possible the dispensing of contents when said container is partially empty, said means comprising: that portion of said container which is closest to the other end thereof having a side Wall provided with longitudinally extending inwardly oifset folding side wall portions on two opposite sides of said container, and said other closed end of said container also having a fold portion inwardly offset toward said outlet end and extending from one side of said container to the other and interconnected with said inwardly offset fold portions of said side wall whereby when said container is squeezed in the area of said side Wall fold portions, said interconnecting fold portions will also further fold to facilitate compressibility, said folding side wall portions being elongated and tapering from larger ends nearest said other end to smaller ends nearest said outlet end, and said outlet end of said container being without equivalent offset fold portions whereby when an equal pressure is applied along said conainer said container will compress more easily at its said closed other end for forcing the contents toward said outlet, said container being formed of a pliable plastic material.

2. In combination: an elongated hollow compressible container-dispenser having an external threaded open neck at one end and the remainder of said container being closed, said threaded neck presenting a much more substantial resistance to the compression of said container than the sides of the container, means for facilitating compression to make possible the dispensing of contents when said container is partially empty, said means comprising: that portion of said container which is closest to the other end thereof having a side wall provided with longitudinally extending inwardly offset folding side wall portions on two opposite sides of said container, and said other closed end of said container also having a fold portion inwardly offset toward said outlet end and extending from one side of said container to the other and interconnected with said inwardly offset fold portions of said side wall whereby when said container is squeezed in the area of said side wall fold portions, said interconnecting fold portions will also further fold to facilitate compressibility, said folding side wall portions being elongated and tapering from larger ends nearest said other end to smaller ends nearest said outlet end, whereby when an equal pressure is applied along said container said container will compress more easily at its said closed other end than at its less compressible threaded neck for forcing the contents toward said outlet, said container being formed of a pliable plastic material which is adapted to regain its shape when a compression force is removed and when air is permitted to enter through said open neck.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 687,790 12/ 1901 Scales 222-92 1,377,113 5/1921 Boyle. 2,331,842 10/1943 Moran 222107 X 2,441,649 5/ 1948 Sprague 222-92 2,571,504 10/1951 Vuillemenot 222-221 X 2,682,355 6/1954 Robbins 222-107 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,224,134 2/1960 France.

798,338 7/1958 Great Britain.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION: A SPOUT HAVING A LARGER THREADED INNER END AND A SMALLER OUTER END AND AN ELONGATED HOLLOW COMPRESSIBLE CONTAINER-DISPENSER HAVING AN EXTERNALLY THREADED OPEN NECK AT ONE END RECEIVING SAID SPOUT AND THE REMAINDER OF SAID CONTAINER BEING CLOSED, SAID THREADED NECK PRESENTING A MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIAL RESISTANCE TO THE COMPRESSION OF SAID CONTAINER THAN THE SIDES OF THE CONTAINER, MEANS FOR FACILITATING COMPRESSION TO MAKE POSSIBLE THE DISPENSING OF CONTENTS WHEN SAID CONTAINER IS PARTIALLY EMPTY, SAID MEANS COMPRISING: THAT PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER WHICH IS CLOSEST TO THE OTHER END THEREOF HAVING A SIDE WALL PROVIDED WITH LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING INWARDLY OFFSET FOLDING SIDE WALL PORTIONS ON TWO OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CONTAINER, AND SAID OTHER CLOSED END OF SAID CONTAINER ALSO HAVING A FOLD PORTION INWARDLY OFFSET TOWARD SAID OUTLET END AND EXTENDING FROM ONE SIDE OF SAID CONTAINER TO THE OTHER AND INTERCONNECTED WITH SAID INWARDLY OFFSET FOLD PORTIONS OF SAID SIDE WALL WHEREBY WHEN SAID CONTAINER IS SQUEEZED IN THE AREA OF SAID SIDE WALL FOLD PORTIONS, SAID INTERCONNECTING FOLD PORTIONS WILL ASLO FURTHER FOLD TO FACILITATE COMPRESSIBILITY, SAID FOLDING SIDE WALL PORTIONS BEING ELONGATED AND TAPERING FROM LARGER ENDS NEAREST SAID OTHER END TO SMALLER ENDS NEAREST SAID OUTLET END, AND SAID OUTLET END OF SAID CONTAINER BEING WITHOUT EQUIVALENT OFFSET FOLD PORTIONS WHEREBY WHEN AN EQUAL PRESSURE IS APPLIED ALONG SAID CONTANIER SAID CONTAINER WILL COMPRESS MORE EASILY AT ITS SAID CLOSED OTHER 